Hicca walked around the hut, trying to get used to her prosthetic while she waited to meet the village chief.

Hicca was unsure what she would say to the chief. She couldn't tell him that two dragons rescued her and her best friend who is also a dragon and brought them to this island and took her to the village so she could get help. No. She would be labelled as insane and either be sacrificed to the gods or be thrown into a dungeon where she would spend the rest of her days while Toothless slowly died due to his own prosthetic that he couldn't control.

She began storming ideas on what she would say to the chief to help distract the pain that flared up her leg with each step she took.

'I could lie and say I don't remember what happened? Play that I have amnesia?' Hicca pondered. 'Or I can say all that I remember is traveling when a storm hit and I got shipwrecked and did my best to find help? That I saw smoke this way?' she shook her head 'no. It wouldn't make sense. As far as I remember, there has not been a storm. Plus, they would most likely search more the supposed boat in search of any information about me, which they would come up empty handed…'

Hicca sighed in exasperation and collapsed onto the cot. What will the chief be like? Will she be sentenced to a punishment before she could voice her side?

Heavy footsteps alerted the young teen that someone was coming, most likely the chief and healer and possibly a guard or council member. She sat up straight and did her best to make her appearance look acceptable.

In entered three beings. The healer, the chief and who Hicca could only figure is the chiefs' wife. Hicca sat up straighter and put on a smile; the chief and his wife smiled while the healer stalked out of her sight.

"Hello child" 'I'm not a child' "I am chief Halfdan, and this is my wife, Helga." Halfdan introduced "what's your name?"

The girl debated whether she should share her name or not 'not like anybody will be looking for me or anything.' She cleared her thoat and smiled sheepishly "I-I'm Hicca."

"Hicca…" Helga prompted.

"Just Hicca."

The chiefs' wife looked at her with pity "how long have you been on your own?" she inquired "since I could crawl." And wasn't that the sad honest truth.

The couple shared a look, a knowing look, a silent conversation. Hicca began to fidget in place, nervous on what they had to say.

Helga turned back to Hicca and smiled kindly "well child," 'still not a child' "how would you like to stay here, with us?" The ex-heir was shocked. She was expecting to get interrogated, questioned, told to leave. Not be offered a home.

And goodness was she tempted.

"I'm sorry, but I can't accept the offer." Hicca started slowly "I'm in search of my family, or at least anything that can tell me about my past…" The ruling couple nodded "alright then. Can we offer you anything? Assist you or provide you…" Hicca shook her head "no, but thank you. I'll be fine on my own."

The healer crept back into the room with a bowl of… something. "Here, eat this then leave." The chief walked over to the old woman and pulled her aside, most likely criticizing her treatment.

"Rest well, Hicca. Get your strength up and travel safely" Helga smiled and left the hut.

'What an odd pair…."

…

Hicca scavenged the forest, calling out for her scaly friend.

"Toothless! C'mon bud, it's just me!"

Anxiety and fear filled Hiccup as she delved deeper and deeper into the woods, and the longer it took to find him, the worse her fears and thoughts became. 'Did he get caught and killed by the villagers? Did he abandon me? Did he get stuck somewhere similar to the cove? Did another dragon attack him?!'

The young girl gasped and spun around as she heard a heavy thud from behind her, though her fear and anxiety was replaced with joy and relief in seconds. "Toothless!" she cried out and flung herself around his neck "I've missed you bud…"

Toothless crooned and nuzzled his small human. He too missed his small friend and was terrified while she was away, fearing for the worst as well.

A metallic smell hit his nose causing him to back up and look over his girl. The drake paused before leaning down and nudged some metal attached to her limb. Hicca chuckled "it's alright, Toothless. I'm okay. I'll be fine." She shook her leg around a bit to show him she was fine "see? It'll take some time to get adjusted to, but overall? I'll be fine." The drake nuzzled her chest before giving her a big ol' lick on the face.

"Eeww! Toothless, that's nasty!" she squealed and backed away from her scaly companion who was now laughing at her misery "useless reptile.." Hicca flicked the slobber onto Toothless's face, causing him to stop and glare at his human "don't look at me like that. You were the one who licked me!" shaking his head, Toothless raised his arm to rub off his sticky and truthfully stinky slobber.

Hicca smiled and stretched her limbs out "man, escaping that gillage was easier said than done… the leg slowed me down a bit and hurt as much as you'd expect…" she shook her head "oh! And I saw the most oddest thing in the village. It was a wolf, but tamed! It wasn't attacking or stealing food or anything. It was just…" the girl paused as she slowly turned to look into the drakes curious eyes "... like you." The small girl rubbed the dragons head, causing Toothless to purr and rub up against his human.

Toothless was elated to have Hicca by his side again. Although they were apart for a week, it felt like eternity. He couldn't stand nor see himself without his girl. She's his light and love. He'd never leave her, no matter what happened. And if she were to be harmed? He'd take the attacker out before they knew what happened, and if she were hurt because of him? Well, he'd never forgive himself.

"Well, how about we go for a long overdue flight. What do you say?" Toothless jumped around and crooned, more than ready to spread his wings and feel the air beneath him. He hadn't flown once while Hicca was away.

Lowering himself to the ground, Hicca climbed onto his back and took a deep breath as she adjusted her prosthetic leg. Once settled she scratched Tolthless's neck and whispered a soft "let's go".

…

Oh how the duo missed the feeling of being free, of having no responsibilities. Of just having each other and just them against the world. It was exhilarating.

Whooping and laughing, Hicca looked down at Toothless with love, and before she realized what she was doing, she leaned forward and kissed the crown of the reptiles head and rubbed her cheek against his noggin. "I love you bud. You're amazing, and I… I can't live without you. I don't know what I'd do without you…" Toothless crooned.

Sensing their peaceful moment and alone time, the duo looked around and spotted two dragons following after them. To be more specific, the nadder and the nightmare that helped rescue them. Hicca smiled at them "hello again. Thanks for saving us" she spoke softly. The nightmare growled in return, and soon all three were growling and crooning and making all sort of noise. Hicca tilted her head 'do they have their own language? Or are they like those bugs that sting that communicate via dance?' That was an interesting discovery for her when she was small. Well, smaller. And painful. Those bugs did not like being disturbed at all, and she learned that the hard way.

"I wonder if I could learn their language…" Hicca pondered aloud.

…

It was dusk when the trio landed on a desolate island they had scoped out and took refuge in a cave to escape the rain that had appeared out of no where. Toothless curled himself around Hicca and kept her closer to his tummy and chest as that is where he is most hot.

Just as she felt her heavy eyes begin to close to finally sleep, a disturbing cracking and leather ripping rang out. Hicca quickly stood up and stood in front of her best friend to shield him from whatever danger was coming.

(Silly human. He's a dragon)

She gawked as she saw two people before her with wings retracting into their clothes backs…

"What in Thors name?!"

6/30/21